• Teaching Programs
• Courses Taught
• Research Activities
• Patient Care
• Volunteer Opportunities

Teaching Programs

Predoctoral
The Section provides instruction in the areas of dental morphology, clinical evaluation, treatment planning, and patient management in addition to supervising the Oral Diagnosis and Oral Medicine predoctoral clinics and Urgent Care Rotation, in which the students participate by attending week long block rotations.

CLINIC TEACHING PROGRAMS:
- Oral Diagnosis Clinic
- Oral Medicine Clinic
- Advanced Treatment Planning Clinic
- Urgent Care Block

Postgraduate
The section also supports some of the postgraduate programs by providing seminars in Oral Pathology (Combined with the Section of Oral Pathology), mentoring postgraduate students with research and teaching
graduate courses in Oral Biology and postdoctoral program core courses.

Courses Taught

Postgraduate Courses

Research Activities

Faculty members in the Section of Oral Medicine are involved in research in areas of oral cancer early detection and chemoprevention, HIV oral mucosal immonolgy, infection control, TMD diseases, candida infection mechanism, wound healing and mechanism of abnormal scar formation and role of dentist in tobacco cessation. 

The Section of Oral Medicine has developed a dentist assisted tobacco cessation program for 3rd and 4th year students that we would like to make available on the web. The Section has also been involved in the development of the 2003 HIV Medicine Self-Directed Study Guide-an educational tool created to provide the latest, most comprehensive information available concerning HIV/AIDS related health care. The guide is available through the American Academy of HIV Medicine. In addition, the section has collaborated with the Pacific AIDS Education and Training Centers. in developing the Dental Standards of Care for HIV positive patients in the Pacific and NW region. The standards are distributed by the LA County Office of AIDS Program and Policy

Patient Care

General Clinic
The Oral Medicine faculty members are actively involved with the patient care provided in the General Clinic and have their own faculty practice.

Oral Diagnosis Clinic
Faculty members in the Section are responsible for screening and evaluation of all new patients in the School of Dentistry General Clinic. Students evaluate new patients seeking dental treatment in the general clinic and perform a comprehensive history and physical examination. Based upon their findings, students determine the patient's medical risk for dental care, formulate dental management modifications, develop a list of required dental specialist consults, order the appropriate diagnostic tests, and make differential diagnoses.

Oral Medicine Clinic
Faculty members with third and fourth year students evaluate and manage new patients who have been identified as having a mucosal tissue lesions or abnormality, an oral infection or a salivary or lymphatic disease or abnormality. As needed students perform biopsy, culture and sensitivity testing, cytologic smear and blood testing.

Advanced Treatment Planning Clinic
Students present difficult cases that require extensive restorative and prosthetic care. Presentations follow a medical rounds format. Several instructors representing various disciplines evaluate patients. This is followed by a thorough discussion elucidating the thought processes leading to treatment choices. The student is expected to determine the significant issues, logically discuss the management of these problems, and delineate a specific action plan.

Private Faculty Practice

Oral Medicine/Orofacial Pain Faculty Clinic
There are currently two faculty members who are dedicated to the practice of Oral Medicine (Drs. Messadi & Younai). Sterilization Monitoring Service is also offered by the practice to any clinic in the School of Dentistry and to any private practitioner who wishes to have his/her sterilize/autoclave monitored for efficacy.

Volunteer Opportunities

Yes, the Section always welcomes volunteers to provide faculty supervision in the Oral Diagnosis Clinic A valid California Dental License is mandatory. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Diana Messadi at 310-206-7399